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I would like to know if anyone here knows the Arizona law reguarding beekeepers removing hives and swarms for a profit.What is the law reguarding beekeepers without a applicators license using non restricted pesticide to kill colonies that can not be removed alive.

I moved from Tucson in 1982. Before then the pesticide laws were very lax. I remember purchasing and using full strength industrial pesticides around my house to kill ticks and fleas. It was great. Since leaving I've been unable to find a place that will sell me the chemicals. It's illegal everywhere else.

Man: you kill a colony you open up a whole lot of things, the wax left will melt and run (ruining Sheetrock, seeping thru to ruin other items), with out the comb the honey will run ( and seep thru the walls and ceiling making a sticky mess :mad: )and both will attract other vermin ie; mice, rats, ants, roaches, and numerous other critters . IMHO if you can't get the whole hive out leave it.
The only way to do the job right is to remove it all or nothing and let them survive. This is my opinion.

\"ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN DRIED UP<br />THE LAST TREE BEEN CUT DOWN<br />THE LAST WILD FISH CAUGHT<br />WILL MAN REALIZE YOU CAN\'T EAT MONEY\"<br />GHANDI (?)

Oh; Well he can use the effects of what would happen if the hive would be exterminated, the mess would get expensive for the home owner, and in AZ to boot,whew, the temp in the soffet would probably well exceed the melting point of the wax, and if the hive was in the attic/roof

\"ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN DRIED UP<br />THE LAST TREE BEEN CUT DOWN<br />THE LAST WILD FISH CAUGHT<br />WILL MAN REALIZE YOU CAN\'T EAT MONEY\"<br />GHANDI (?)

Contact your state Corporation Commission. In all states I've checked (Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas) if you are applying any pesticide (includes bug bombs, space sprays and herbicides) for a fee or other form of compensation you instantly become a commercial applicator subject to that state's laws regarding licensing/certification. The chemical used does not matter. Even if you're only spraying over the counter products, when you do it for money....you come under the umbrella of the state's pesticide applicator laws. In your own yard/property licensing does not apply.

SilverFox I do understand the problems with leaving comb and honey and it would be my intention to remove evrything after the colony is dead. I have had people that wanted colonies removed right away, but because of certain circumstances that were dangerous to other people it was not safe to expose the colony because of their aggresive behavior. It would be safest to kill the colony and do the comb and honey removal the next day.

Robert Hawkins, I guess I can kind of see how you might think that by the way I asked the question but dont jump to conclusions. I have been beekeeping for 6 years as my full time job. It is not my intention to get anyone in trouble with the law, I just want to understand the law.

Time for a WILD idea. If you do it your way, you will be stuck with a load of insecticide laden honey and wax. Would it work to put a normal trapping funnel on the house and hang a bucket of sugarwater or honey next to it. They would go into the bucket and drown, and not back into the house. I know it's wild, but why would it not work?

idee, it probably would do a good job of killing the field force. You would still have the house bees to deal with and it takes time. If a home owner wants them out right away there is no time for that. If the home owner was willing to let it take a little time I would use a trapping method that wouldnt kill them.

The problem I see from trying to 'spray' the colony with out opening the area is the fact that the comb would most likely shield the main brood chamber from the insecticide you may try to use, the queen and majority of the workers, nurse bees, would go towards the area that the spray can't get to. In order to exterminate the entire colony you need to be able to expose the entire colony, I've removed bees from walls an exterminator (professional) has sprayed, the guard bee and the outer layers of comb were all that were affected, the main body of the hive was unaffected. The colonies I talking about all had emerging brood and a very healthy queen, in fact they are going strong in my apairy. I have an extraction next week that people sprayed 2 large cans of wasp killer into and the bees are still flying, and appesr to be going strong.

If you must, try an CO2 fire extingusher, it may be cold enough to 'freeze the colony' and not add residue to the comb and honey. You'd probialy have to use a good size one tho.
Good luck.

\"ONLY WHEN THE LAST RIVER HAS BEEN DRIED UP<br />THE LAST TREE BEEN CUT DOWN<br />THE LAST WILD FISH CAUGHT<br />WILL MAN REALIZE YOU CAN\'T EAT MONEY\"<br />GHANDI (?)

Still thinking. What if you sprayed it with Fisher's bee-quick. Would the smell make them continue to come out, or would it even work inside, without the heat from the sun. I understand the honey would still be edible if you used it. JIM, HELP.
Again just a thought. I know not.